


Loose Ends

by HouseofSannae



Series: Kingdom Hearts Ψ: The Seeker of Darkness [27]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cinematic Parallels, F/M, Sephiroth Gets Stabbed Again, That's why the tag changed, Those Chosen By The Darkness, Vanitas: making fetch happen, hugs are nice, plotted pre-Kingdom Hearts III, written post-KH3 Remind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:41:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25481830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HouseofSannae/pseuds/HouseofSannae
Summary: With the defeat of Xehanort freeing up a great deal of time for the Guardians of Light, Aqua takes the opportunity to try and track down a boy she once met, named Zack.At the same time, Vanitas struggles with emotions he's not quite sure how to deal with...
Relationships: (one-sided) Tifa Lockheart/Cloud Strife, Aerith/Cloud (Kingdom Hearts), Aqua & Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Aqua & Zack (Kingdom Hearts), Aqua/Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi/Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Sora (Kingdom Hearts) & Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife
Series: Kingdom Hearts Ψ: The Seeker of Darkness [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/960336
Comments: 149
Kudos: 126





	1. Too Cliché

“Ven, do you think I should grow my hair back out?”

Ven shrugged, looking over at Terra. “I dunno. Depends on how you feel about it.”

The entire group of Guardians had returned to the Mysterious Tower after attempting to smooth things over on the Destiny Islands. The Mayor wasn’t cross with them, exactly, but there was a little bit of exasperation. (It had helped to have King Mickey, himself a ruler of his own world, there; the existence of other worlds was something of an open secret in Disney Town). The native citizens of the Islands had accepted the news with somewhat-disbelieving bemusement, but it had explained several things throughout their history that had previously gone unanswered, even from before Sora’s generation had been born.

For the meantime, everyone who would have been moving to the Destiny Islands had returned to the Tower as well; and it made sense. After this, Sora, Riku, and Kairi would be moving back into their own houses, and not rooming together anymore. And they needed each other. Yen Sid had thoughtfully arranged for anyone who needed it to visit therapists in both Disney Town and Radiant Garden; though the arrangements were private affairs, Kairi had openly volunteered for them, and no one could blame her after what she’d been through.

The group who would have been going to the Land of Departure had delayed as well. Even had contacted the group, and asked if he’d be able to remove what remained of his research from Castle Oblivion prior to its transformation back into its original form. Aqua had allowed this, but had requested he do it as soon as possible; she didn’t like the idea of anyone poking around in their home unsupervised even with permission. They would have gone with him, but none of them liked the idea of spending more time in Castle Oblivion than was necessary to turn it back.

As such, here they were, waiting.

Terra looked over at Vanitas, who was trying very hard to focus on the book he was reading, and not the conversation. “Van, what do you think?”

“…you were having issues with it getting in your face,” Vanitas muttered. “That’d come back if you grew it out again.”

“That’s a fair point,” Terra agreed. Slowly, he smirked. “You know, you might need a haircut yourself one of these days.”

Vanitas looked up and glared at him, then back down at his book.

“I’m not sure he’d be thrilled about someone putting sharp objects close to his head,” Ven pointed out.

“That’s fine, we can just have Aqua do it,” Terra said, smirking. “Right, Aqua?”

“Huh? I’m sorry, what were you saying?” Aqua said, absently, looking back at them from where she’d been looking out the window.

“Just saying Vanitas would probably prefer it if you were the one cutting his hair,” Terra said. His smirk faded. “You okay, Aqua?” He winced, realizing what a stupid question it was as soon as he said it.

“I’m fine, just… distracted,” she said, shaking her head to ward off his concern. “I’m just… Our lives have been focused on defeating Xehanort for so long, it’s strange that that shadow over our lives is gone now. And it leaves me wondering where to go next. What to do next. Now that I have time for…” she trailed off.

“For what?” Ven asked, encouraging.

“Well…” Aqua said, and to their surprise, flushed a bit. “Back before… before, there was a guy I met in Olympus…”

“Oh _ho_ ,” Terra said, a wide grin spreading across his face. Aqua glared at him. Ven looked from one to the other, confused, before it clicked for him. Vanitas, for his part, stared harder at his book, not quite sure why the idea sounded so bad and wrong to him.

“What ‘oh _ho_ ’?” Aqua demanded.

“Nothing, nothing at all,” Terra said, smirking. “So… I take it you’d like to go and catch up with him?”

“It’s been thirteen years,” Aqua said, defensively. “I just want to… you know… figure out where he ended up.”

Ven nodded. “Make sure he’s okay?”

“See if he’s still single?” Terra added.

“Terra,” Aqua growled.

“Am I wrong?” Terra replied. Aqua’s continued glare spoke volumes, and he smirked.

“Sounds like a shit idea,” Vanitas said, not looking up from his book. “Let the past go. Move on.”

Aqua turned to him. “I understand why you feel that way, but this is something I’d like closure on. He…” her face twisted, embarrassed. “He was the first person I ever met who was… interested, in me. I’d at least like to know he’s happy.”

“I can understand that,” Terra said, the teasing tone vanishing from his voice. He smiled. “Want to head over to Olympus, then? Nothing’s stopping you.”

“Yeah! And we can all go with you!” Ven said. “You know, for emotional support!” Bless his heart, but he was entirely serious.

Aqua looked at Terra’s returned smirk and shook her head. “That’s okay, Ven. I’d… rather not have you and Terra along with me for this.”

Ven pouted. “Why not?” He considered. “Well, I guess I can understand why not Terra.”

“That’s fair,” Terra acknowledged.

“Why not me, though?” Ven continued.

“She’s probably worried you’d try to matchmake or something,” Terra said before Aqua could respond.

“Oh, I get it. Yeah, that’s fair,” Ven said, nodding sagely.

“At least deny you were going to do it, asshole,” Vanitas muttered to himself.

Aqua glared at both of her brothers, and sighed. “I’m sorry, but–”

“Nah, no need to apologize,” Terra said, cutting her off. “We get it.”

“Good luck, Aqua!” Ven agreed.

Aqua smiled. “Thank you. That said…” she stood up, and walked over to where the three of them were sitting, stopping in front of one of the chairs. “Vanitas?”

“What?”

Aqua shifted in place a bit. “Would… you be willing to come with me?”

Vanitas blinked. “What? W-why me?”

“Because…” Aqua bit her lip. “Because I trust you to tell me… if I’m being dumb.”

“You’re not dumb,” Vanitas said, not meeting her eyes.

Aqua smiled. “Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean I can’t act like it. And I trust you to point it out to me. What do you say?”

Vanitas was experiencing a strange sensation in his chest, something screaming at him to _do something_ even though he had no idea what needed to be done, or why he was feeling that way. Not letting it show on his face, he shrugged. “I guess I can, if that’s what you want.”

Aqua beamed. “You mean it?”

“Yeah… what are friends for?” Vanitas asked, sarcastic, and smiled as he rose to his feet.

And that was how he’d found himself walking through the stone edifice of Olympus Coliseum. Terra and Ventus had seen the two of them off without much fanfare, promising to explain where they were going to Yen Sid. Terra had had an odd expression on his face that Vanitas couldn’t quite place, like he knew something they didn’t. Probably more teasing that Vanitas didn’t need to be concerned with.

He was entirely nonplussed with Olympus, having been there before both to spread Unversed and on business with Xehanort. It was nothing he had against the world itself, but the memories were nothing to write home about.

Aqua, on the other hand, was excited to meet Hercules and Phil once again, not to mention surprised at how much Herc had grown since she’d seen him last. Vanitas hung back, quiet. Herc and Phil both noted his resemblance to Sora, but Aqua successfully diverted their attention from it without giving too many details. They’d also been introduced to Herc’s girlfriend, a tall, thin woman named Megara.

“I gotta ask, what’s in the water over where you guys live?” Phil asked Aqua, jokingly. “You look barely any older.”

“Oh, um… good genetics, I guess?” Aqua said, smiling in a manner that she hoped was convincing. “Actually, I did want to ask you something relating to the last time I was here.”

“Oh? What’s that?” Herc asked.

Aqua took a deep breath. “Last time I was here, there was a person with you named Zack? I was… wondering if he was still around.”

Hercules and Phil exchanged what could reasonably be called a “knowing glance”, and Aqua did her best not to flush. Vanitas, meanwhile, was busy rolling his eyes, and thus he didn’t notice that Megara’s gaze, and slight frown, was fixated directly on him.

“Zack took off a little bit after you left,” Phil said, turning back towards Aqua. “We figured he’d gone and found a better trainer. Like… everyone else did,” he muttered under his breath. Herc put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Aqua frowned. “And he didn’t leave a forwarding address, or anything?”

Phil shook his head. “Nope, nothing.”

“Damn,” Vanitas commented. He could tell Aqua wanted to say it, but was holding her tongue out of politeness.

Aqua let out a slow breath. “That’s… disappointing. If there’s no way to find him, or get a message to him–”

“Actually,” Herc said, his face brightening. “I might have a way – if I ask my uncle.”

“Which one?” Phil asked, rolling his eyes.

“Hermes,” Herc explained. Phil nodded in understanding.

“Who is…?” Aqua asked.

“Hermes, God of Messengers, Travelers, Merchants, and Thieves,” Megara cut in. “If you have a message for this Zack person, he’ll be able to find him wherever he is in the world.”

“I see,” Aqua said, smiling. “Thank you so much.” Privately, Vanitas mused that it would only work if this “Zack” assho– _person_ , was in Olympus. That said, Hephaestus had traveled across world borders without difficulty, so it stood to reason Hermes might be able to, as well.

“It’s gonna take a bit to arrange, sorry,” Herc apologized, but Aqua shook her head.

“No, I’m just thankful you’d be willing to do that for me,” she said.

Megara stepped forwards. “While you set that up,” she said, “do you mind if I borrow short, dark, and irritated at being called ‘short’?” She jerked a thumb towards Vanitas, who rolled his eyes and tried to pretend the allusion to his height hadn’t bothered him.

Aqua blinked. “Um… sure, if it’s okay with you, Vanitas?”

Vanitas looked over Megara and noted that there was very little she could possibly do to hurt him (huh. Usually that was one of the first things he tried to figure out about people. Odd that it had taken him so long). “Yeah, sure, whatever,” he said, shrugging.

Megara nodded. “We’ll be right outside the stadium,” she said, grabbing Vanitas by the shoulder and practically dragging him off behind her.

Phil pursed his lips. “Well… while they’re doing that…” he said, and turned back to Aqua. “Could I interest you in a free training sess–”

“No, thank you, I don’t need any training,” Aqua said, with a sweet smile that did nothing to conceal the warning steel in her eyes. Phil gulped, and nodded, unconsciously taking a step back.

“All right,” Megara said, coming to a halt along one of the side walls of the Coliseum. “Spill.”

“Spill what?” Vanitas asked, nonplussed.

Megara sighed. “Kid. It’s written all over your face. Every time Aqua brings up this ‘Zack’ guy, you flinch.” She tilted her head, considering him. “Must’ve taken a lot of guts, following her to try and find a guy she’s interested in.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Vanitas asked, now plussed. His eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Megara rolled her eyes. “Seriously? It’s obvious. The way you follow her around like a lost puppy, the way you hang on her every word, the way your eyes go soft when you’re looking at her and she’s not looking back at you… Own up to it, kid. You’ve got it bad.”

“Got _what_ bad?” Vanitas demanded, starting to get angry.

Megara blinked. “You’re serious.”

Vanitas spread his arms in a “no shit” gesture.

“Oh my gods…” Megara pinched the bridge of her nose and rubbed her eyes. “Kid–”

“It’s _Vanitas_.”

“ _Vanitas_ …” she amended, with a deadpan glare. “You have a crush on Master Aqua.”

Those were… definitely words, that she had said. Vanitas was at least sure of that. The content, though… he must have heard wrong, she couldn’t have said what he thought she’d…

“Bullshit,” said Vanitas’s mouth, without direct instruction from his brain. Megara arched her eyebrow.

“Oh really,” she said, in a tone that turned his response back on him. “Wait, let me guess. You don’t know what a crush is.”

“Of course I know what a fucking crush is,” Vanitas snapped, mouth still running on autopilot; although unlike usual, he wasn’t bullshitting about understanding the basic concept. He’d come across the idea in some of the books he’d read, and had put two and two together based on watching Lea interact with Isa. He’d gone to Xion for confirmation, since for some reason he’d internally rebelled at the thought of asking Aqua, and after Xion had stopped laughing, she’d confirmed that he had correctly figured out what the term meant. “And I don’t have one on fucking _Aqua_ of all people.”

“Uh-huh,” Megara said. “I’m not buying it. Not with the way you look at her.”

“The fuck are you talking about?” Vanitas said, his brain having finally caught up with his mouth.

“You hang on her every word.”

“It’s called ‘listening’. I’m told it’s fucking _polite_.”

“You followed her out to find a boy who asked her out _once_.”

“She _asked_ me to.”

“You look at her like you’ve been trapped in the dark all your life and in her you’ve finally seen the sun.”

“We’re _friends._ Which is why I _came with her_ when _she asked me to_ ,” Vanitas said.

Megara shook her head again. “Try to hide it all you want, I can see right through you. Look, you’d be far from the first person who couldn’t admit it. It took me a long time to be able to admit even to myself how I felt about Wonderboy in there–”

“Some would say _too_ long!” boomed a voice from behind them, which was odd, considering they were standing against a wall. They both looked, but there was nothing there save a fresco of four tall women, all with innocent smiles, holding their hands over the mouth of a fifth, shorter woman.

“Uh. Like I was saying, it can be hard to admit it, even to yourself,” Megara said, slowly turning back to Vanitas. “But, you have to face the facts. Be a grown-up about it. Own up to how you feel, if only to yourself.”

“I don’t… but that’s…” Vanitas stammered, but his mouth had transferred to autopilot again. His brain was busy thinking back through every interaction he’d had with Aqua since his return, viewing each and every one of them through this previously-incomprehensible lens.

The warm feeling of her hand in his.

The way his stomach twisted when she smiled at him.

The strange juxtaposition of how happy and hurt he was that she considered him a “friend”.

The banter, how she gave as good as she got once she’d let her hair down.

Her hair.

Her eyes.

Her lips.

Her soft touch.

Her sense of humour.

The way her hips swayed when she walked.

The fact that she could probably crush his skull between her thighs if things somehow came to that.

Her singing voice.

Her speaking voice.

How she sounded when irritated.

How she sounded when teasing.

The strange urges he would get to touch her, that he tried his damnedest to ignore.

How he enjoyed her attention.

How he looked forwards to seeing her.

How he’d grown to trust her.

How _she_ trusted _him_.

Given all of this, was it so impossible to say that he, Vanitas, _lo_ –

He shook his head. During the lull in the conversation, Megara had been watching with mild amusement as a range of emotions played across his face. “I… I _can’t_ be… I can’t l–” He broke off before the word could pass his lips.

“And why not?” Megara asked, gently.

Vanitas shook his head again. “No, you don’t understand, it’s…” He leaned back against the wall and slid down it. “I’m… not… normal.”

“Yes, I’m sure the world just _doesn’t understand_ you, and life is _pain_ , and–”

“I was brought into the world seventeen years ago by a madman trying to forge an ancient weapon by ripping apart a kid’s heart. I only recently started being able to feel anything… _positive_.” Vanitas said, staring right at her. “I didn’t know I was… capable of… feeling _this._ ”

“Ah. I… see.” Slowly, Megara sat down next to him, far enough away to give him his space.

“And… the kid I came from, the kid I used to be, he… doesn’t… he doesn’t have _these_ sorts of… urges?” Vanitas studied the ground between his feet intently.

“Some people are like that, some people aren’t,” Megara said. “Since you’re clearly a different person than he is now, it looks like you aren’t.”

“I don’t know how to deal with this,” Vanitas whispered.

Megara smiled. “No one does. So, all that means is that… you’re something extraordinary. You’re a human being.”

Vanitas looked down at the palms of his hands. “I… I think…”

“Yes?” Megara asked, now smirking.

Vanitas gulped. “I think… I think I love Aqua,” he whispered.

Megara’s smirk softened. “It’s nice to let go of the pride every once in a while, huh?” she quipped.

Vanitas leaned back against the wall. “Shit. What the fuck do I do now?” he muttered.

“What do you mean?” Megara asked.

“Well she obviously doesn’t feel the same fucking way,” Vanitas snapped. “Otherwise why the fuck would we be here? So what the fuck do I…” He clenched his fist, pressing it against his forehead.

Slowly, carefully, Megara put a hand on his shoulder. He let her. “Well, here’s something you might not have considered,” she said. “You don’t have to do _anything_ about it.”

“What?” Vanitas asked, lost.

“If you think she doesn’t feel the same way, you don’t have to act on your feelings. You can put them aside, let them go.”

Vanitas squinted at her. It seemed inconceivable to him that he could just _put aside_ the feelings that were roiling within him. Idly, he wondered what kind of Unversed they would have made. “How?” he asked.

“Time, and effort,” Megara replied. “And resolution. I… tried to quash how I was feeling, and… it didn’t go very well. But knowing and not acting is different from pretending not to know. But, on the other hand,” she added, “are you sure Master Aqua doesn’t feel the same way about you?”

Vanitas rolled his eyes. “Her? Feel like that about _me_? Don’t be stupid,” he said. It was impossible.

“All right, if you say so,” Megara said, standing up. “Right now, your options are do something, or do nothing. And from the way this is freaking you out, plus the whole reason you’re here, my advice would be ‘do nothing’… for now. But you should talk this over with your other friends, see if they have any advice. Worst comes to worst, you can cry on their shoulders. Don’t try to think through this alone.”

Vanitas slowly climbed to his feet. “How do I… not be awkward about this?” he muttered.

Megara shrugged. “Just pretend nothing’s changed. Because, really, nothing has. You just know a bit more about yourself.”

Vanitas grunted, rubbing his temples. “Fuck.”

“What you do on your own time is your own business,” Megara said, smirking again. He turned to her, contriving to glare in a manner that conveyed a sense of being very tired. Her expression softened. “You’re not the first teenager to puzzle over this, and you won’t be the last. It’s okay.”

Vanitas sighed. “We should get back inside.”

“All right,” Megara agreed. “You think you’ll be okay?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Vanitas said. “I’m gonna have to be.”

“You were gone a while,” Aqua said as they walked back into the Coliseum. “What were you talking about?”

“Oh, you know,” Megara said, before Vanitas had time to blush. “Girl stuff. Any word from Lord Hermes?”

Aqua blinked for a second, her gaze going between Van and Megara, before shrugging. “Hercules is still waiting, so I don’t know if–”

She was cut off by the noise of fluttering wings, and Hercules re-entered the main area of the Coliseum. “Anything?” Aqua asked, the hopeful note in her voice causing an uncomfortable – and now, guilty, because he knew why it was happening – twinge in Vanitas’s stomach.

Hercules took a deep breath. “I’m afraid I have some bad news. Hermes was busy, so I had to ask Aunt Iris. And she can’t find him.”

“What does that mean?” Vanitas asked.

“One of two things,” Hercules said. “Either he’s just not in this world anymore… or he’s in the Underworld.”

The word hung in the air, self-indulgent in its own ominousness. Beside him, Vanitas felt more than saw Megara’s slight flinch.

“So… you mean…” Aqua said, quietly. “He… might be… dead?” There was a part of Vanitas that wanted to be happy about the possibility, but it was overpowered entirely by his discomfort at the distraught look Aqua was just barely concealing.

“ _Might_ be,” Herc stressed, in a calming tone. “It’s also entirely possible he’s just not from this world.”

“Not from this world?” Phil asked, looking at Herc like he was crazy. “What’re you talking about, kid?”

“I’ll… explain later, Phil,” Herc said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

“So, what now?” Vanitas asked. “Either way, the trail’s cold. We’ve got no way of figuring out which it is, or where he went.”

Herc grimaced. “Well… that’s not entirely true.”

“What do you mean?” Vanitas asked.

“Well… there is someone… who could definitively tell you if Zack was dead or not,” Herc said.

“No,” Megara said, sharply. Vanitas turned to her, confused.

“I gotta agree, kid. That’s a bad idea,” Phil said, shaking his head.

“Anyone want to tell me what we’re fucking talking about?” Vanitas demanded.

“…Hades,” Aqua said, quietly.

Vanitas’s eyes widened. He knew exactly who that was.

Hercules nodded. “If Zack is dead, it’s Hades’s job to know about it,” he explained.

“No,” Megara said again, in an even sharper tone.

Hercules’s face softened. “Meg, I know. But they’re out of options otherwise.”

“Hades can’t be trusted,” she replied. “That’s the only thing that matters.”

“How do we get to the Underworld?” Aqua interrupted.

Megara and Hercules both turned to her. “Excuse me?” Megara asked.

“How do we get there? To talk to Hades,” Aqua repeated.

“If you’re _smart_ , you _don’t_ ,” Megara said, sarcastic.

“I don’t seem to have a _choice_ ,” Aqua said, matching Megara’s tone and crossing her arms.

Megara stared into her eyes, then sighed and looked away. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she said, and turned, moving to leave the Coliseum. As she passed Vanitas, she whispered so only he could hear, “Good luck, kid.”

“Bad history?” Aqua asked.

“You could say that, yeah,” Phil muttered.

Hercules held out a round stone tablet to Aqua. “Take this with you. There’s a weakening effect in the Underworld that saps the strength of mortals. But if you have this, it won’t affect you.” The tablet was emblazoned with a symbol of a lightning bolt striking down from a cloud.

Aqua accepted it. “Thank you. Now, how do we get to the Underworld?”

There were some jobs that needed to be handled by the absolute best,

There were some jobs that absolutely nobody wanted to handle.

Caught between the fact that the job in question was insanely vital, and also the fact that not a single person alive wanted to do it, you sometimes had to make hard decisions.

Hard decisions such as letting your brother out of the literal Hell-hole you had imprisoned him in after his (latest) failed coup attempt in order to take his old job back… with certain restrictions.

Hades sighed, and drummed his fingertips on the desk. He lifted his cheek off of his hand, picked up the sheaf of papers on his desk, straightened them, and set them back down. Under the desk, he lifted his left ankle, hearing the unmistakeable ‘clink’ of the Hephaestus-forged chain binding him in place. He shot a glance over towards the left wall, and the mugshot of Zeus with a winning smile, finger guns, and the phrase “Ο Μικρός Αδελφός σε παρακολουθεί” written towards the top, and grimaced. He looked up towards the watering can bolted to the ceiling, poised over his head in event of sudden fire. He was _pretty_ sure Zeus had installed it as a joke, but you could never tell with him, and Hades, frustrated though he was, didn’t want to risk it.

A flurry of movement caught his eye in one of the mirrors set up on his desk. The glass reflected not his face, but the courtyard outside the main gate. “What now?” he muttered. There were two people, alive, if he was any judge (and he was). One with black hair, and one with blue hai –

“Waaaait a second,” Hades muttered to himself. “Isn’t that…?” The image on the mirror zoomed in closer, and Hades spotted a familiar symbol pinned to the blue-haired woman’s chest. “Oh. Great. Just what I needed. _Oy vey_.”

He looked down at his ankle cuff once more, and rolled his eyes in disgust. He tapped the surface of the mirror and cleared his throat. “Excuse me. I believe the sign says _‘NO SOLICITORS’_.”

There was an eerie feeling in the Underworld, as if they weren’t supposed to be here. It made sense to Vanitas; they were alive, after all.

He and Aqua stood in a large antechamber, at the far end of which was a long pathway. They’d entered through a large set of double doors that had swung shut behind them. Vanitas had given it a 7/10 in terms of ominousness, losing points for the slight squeak on one of the hinges, and the soft _thud_ of the closing as opposed to a harsh _clunk_.

They’d managed to dry off completely at this point, through careful application of Fire spells from Vanitas and Aero spells from Aqua. For whatever reason, they’d had to enter a river in order to get to the Underworld. It hadn’t been fun, but that was over now. Aqua had met it all with a steely determination, which, regardless of how he might feel about her, Vanitas had to find admirable.

If heart-wrenching, knowing he wasn’t the object of that determination.

There was an odd crackle, of what Vanitas thought might be the sound of microphone feedback if Olympus had had microphones, and an irritated voice echoed throughout the chamber. “ _Excuse me_ ,” it said, “ _I believe the sign says_ ‘NO SOLICITORS’ _._ ”

There was, in fact, a sign next to the smaller door at the other end of the chamber that read “Χωρίς δικηγόρους”, but neither Vanitas nor Aqua cared. “Hades!” Aqua called, recognizing the voice. “I need to talk to you.”

“ _Really_ ,” said the voice of the God of the Dead. “ _You come walking into my domain, uninvited, and_ alive _, which, by the way, is kind of gauche of you, and expect to hold some kind of dialog?_ ”

Aqua spread her arms, presuming (correctly) that Hades could see them. “I just need you to answer a simple question.”

“ _And a favour to boot, huh?_ ” Hades said, audibly sighing. “ _I’m afraid I’m much, much too busy to pencil you in. Booked solid. Can’t possibly find room. Our deepest sympathies in what I’m sure is a troubling time, but the door is thataway. Goodbye!_ ”

Aqua shook her head. “Hades, I’m not in the mood to play around. It’s a very simple question, I just need a yes-or-no answer, y–”

“ _Nope, nope, I don’t think so, missy,”_ Hades said, cutting her off. “ _Well, since you’ve decided to be belligerent, I suppose I don’t have a choice._ ” There was the sound of hands clapping. “ _Sick ‘em, boy!_ ”

Aqua frowned, confused, but Vanitas grabbed her shoulder and pointed as a gigantic, canid shape appeared out of nowhere behind them. Red eyes flashed, standing out against dark black fur, though they were overshadowed by the large, cruel fangs that filled the jaws of three heads. Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded the Underworld, leaned over them and growled.

“ _Kids, meet Cerberus. Cerberus, intruders. You know what to do,_ ” Hades said, disinterested.

Deep in the depths of Vanitas’s mind, two brain cells rubbed together.

Aqua stepped forwards, steeling herself. She summoned her Keyblade, but Vanitas reached out and grabbed her arm. She looked back at him, an unspoken question passing between them. Vanitas shook his head.

“Let me try something,” he said.

Aqua looked confused, but nodded. “Okay.”

Vanitas took a deep breath, and activated his armour. He’d had the white Unversed emblem removed from his helmet, restoring it to a glossy, solid black. He stepped out in front of Aqua, and raised his hands above his head.

A giant ball of darkness formed in his hands. It was hard to tell, since Cerberus’s eyes lacked pupils, but the monstrous dog’s attention seemed to move from Vanitas and Aqua to the ball. Vanitas took another deep breath, and bellowed, “ _Who’s a good boys?_ ”

Fourteen years ago, slightly less than a year prior to Xehanort’s first attempt to forge the χ–blade, the fallen Master had visited Olympus, dragging Vanitas along with him. They had descended to the Underworld, protected from its effects by Darkness, for Xehanort needed to meet with Hades, to give him just enough information to be useful, but not enough to be dangerous; someone needed to monitor the Unversed Vanitas had begun spreading throughout the world, after all.

This had resulted in a closed-door meeting between the Master and the god, with Vanitas left outside in the same antechamber he would visit fourteen years hence alongside Aqua. Boredom sucked, but it sucked less than pain. He would take it.

He wasn’t quite sure how long he’d been standing there when he heard a very high-pitched growling, and three sets of teeth latched onto his ankle.

The material of his dark suit was thick enough that it was only minorly painful, and he lifted his foot to see a small, black-furred shape vigorously defending the antechamber from Vanitas’s shin. “And what the fuck are you supposed to be?” he asked, with zero interest in the answer. None were forthcoming, but the growling increased in ferocity, the challenge having been acknowledged by the opponent.

The opponent gave a sharp kick, and the valiant defender went flying across the room. “Get fucked,” Vanitas said, and went back to standing in place.

Undeterred, the fuzzy thing renewed its attack, lunging at Vanitas, who caught it by one of the throats and tossed it away again. “You’re fucking annoying. Get lost,” Vanitas ordered.

The thing growled, and lunged again. Vanitas caught it once more, and brought it up to his helmet. He arbitrarily picked the middlemost of the three heads and glared at it through the glass. “All right. Suicidal bravery, huh? Your funeral.”

The thing growled at him. Vanitas growled back. The thing’s growling grew louder, and Vanitas matched its tone.

The thing barked. Vanitas yelled, louder than it.

Abruptly, the thing attempted to lick Vanitas’s helmet. He jerked the thing back before more than one tongue could make contact, and shoved back down the disgust that was threatening to push its way out of his back. He dropped the thing, and stepped back from it.

The thing struggled to its feet, shaking its heads, and sat down, its tongues lolling out of its mouths.

“…What?” Vanitas asked, angered. The thing looked like it wanted something from him. “Fuck off.”

The thing barked again.

“I said, _fuck off_ ,” Vanitas repeated. He scooped a rock up off the ground, and threw it in the thing’s general direction.

He missed.

And to his surprise, the thing took off like a bullet after the rock, chasing it to where it had fallen. After a couple seconds of tense negotiation between which head had the honour of picking it up, the thing carried the rock back to Vanitas, spat it out in front of him, and sat down again, panting expectantly.

Vanitas looked at the now drool-encrusted rock. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

The thing didn’t respond.

Vanitas looked at the rock, confused. Hesitantly, he picked it back up, and threw it again, as far away from the thing as he could.

The thing shot off after it, and brought it back again.

Vanitas stared. The thing nudged the drool-covered rock closer to him. Almost mechanically, Vanitas picked it up and threw it again.

This went on for the duration of his Master’s meeting, until the doors opened and they were caught. Vanitas wasn’t sure what had happened to the fuzzy thing, but Hades had seemed almost as livid as the Master had been over the little, as Hades put it, “fetch debacle”. If he had the capacity to care about more than his own resulting pain, he would have hoped that the small fuzzy thing had survived.

Back in the present, Vanitas did care about whether the small fuzzy thing had lived or died, and he was pretty sure it had lived after all. Further, he was pretty sure that the small fuzzy thing wasn’t quite so small anymore.

Vanitas whipped his arms forwards, launching the massive ball of darkness across the antechamber. And like clockwork, Cerberus whipped around and followed it. He was so massive now that it only took him three steps to cross the cavern, but after a couple seconds of tense negotiation, he picked up the ball of darkness in one of his mouths and carried it back over to Vanitas. Cerberus dropped the ball, then sat down with a massive _thud_ , his tongues lolling out of his mouths, looking expectantly at Vanitas.

“…What. The fuck?” Aqua asked, completely lost.

Vanitas stepped towards Cerberus, his hand outstretched. “Hey, you little shit. Not so little anymore, huh? Glad you remember me.”

He was met by a massive tongue that coated his armour in saliva. “Yep. Probably should have seen that one coming,” he said. “Absolutely disgusting.” He sighed, and looked over at Aqua. “Let’s bring Xion next time.”

“Van, what the fuck?” Aqua asked again.

Vanitas shrugged. “I met him once when he was a puppy. Guess I left an impression.” Cerberus let out a bark that was much louder than his puppy self’s, and Vanitas lifted and tossed the ball of darkness again.

“ _You’ve got to be KIDDING ME!_ ” There was a spiral of dark smoke in front of the inner doors, and Hades appeared before them… sitting at a desk, his ankle chained to one of its legs. “Jeez, you just can’t get good help these days,” he muttered. Louder, he added, “Bad dog! No! Put it down!”

“Hades!” Aqua said, stepping in front of the desk. “Now that we have your attention, do you mind if I ask you a question?” Her Keyblade was still in her hand. Hades did not fail to notice this.

“Yes, I in fact _do_ mind,” Hades sneered. “I’m not in the business of answering questions, bluebird, I’m in the business of _death_.”

Aqua slammed her free hand down on the table. “Imagine that, that’s exactly what I’m here to ask you about.”

“Well, take a number, and get in line, because you’re not dead _yet_ , and therefore! _I don’t hafta deal with you,_ ” Hades said. Aqua’s grip tightened on her Keyblade.

There was a clearing of a throat behind them. Both of them turned, as did Vanitas, who was now begrudgingly scratching Cerberus under the chins. In the centre of the antechamber stood a short, bespectacled man with sky-blue skin and a faint glowing aura. He wore a white toga, a golden winged helmet, and blue sandals. The sandals had wings.

“Hades, babe, don’t you have work you’re supposed to be doing?” the newcomer asked, tone light and amused.

Hades grit his teeth, and Aqua could hear them grinding. “That’s quite right, Hermes, I _do_ have work to be doing, but this _fine young lady_ here is standing in the way of it.”

Hermes shook his head. “Come on now. All the nice lady wants is to ask you one little question. It’ll take you half a minute. Less.”

“I’m not really in a question-answering mood, thanks,” Hades said. “Now get back up to my _dear_ brother and explain to him–”

“As a matter of fact,” Hermes interrupted, “I come from Lord Zeus, bearing a message.”

“Really. Imagine that,” Hades deadpanned. “The God of Messengers, bearing a message. What _will_ they think of next?”

“It would really, really be nice of you, says Lord Zeus, if you would help young Master Aqua here with her dilemma,” Hermes said. Aqua and Hades both blinked, looked at each other, remembered they weren’t united in this, rolled their eyes, and looked back at Hermes.

“You’re kidding,” Hades said. “The big guy upstairs cares this much about one particular mortal?”

“Hey, you know Zeus cares a whole lot about all the babes in his kingdom,” Hermes said, grinning.

“Something about that seems very wrong, but I can’t figure out what it is,” Vanitas muttered to Cerberus, who huffed in agreement.

“Plus, we kind of owe the Keyblade wielders one or two,” Hermes pointed out.

Hades crossed his arms. “What’s in it for me?”

“Yeah, Zeus figured you’d ask that,” Hermes said. “So, if you answer this, he’s prepared to reopen negotiations with Demeter on your behalf.”

“Demeter?” Vanitas asked.

“Ex-wife,” Hades muttered. “Don’t ask.” The full meaning of Hermes’s words seemed to sink in. “Wait, you mean..?”

“You’re looking at a partial-custody deal. Demeter keeps her for two-thirds of the year, you get her for the other third,” Hermes explained.

“Get who?” Aqua asked, confused.

“Persephone. His daughter,” Hermes said, before Hades could stop him. Hades glared at the messenger, but leaned back in his chair without doing anything, grumbling to himself. “That’s the deal, Hades. Whaddya say?”

Hades’s eye twitched. “If those are the terms… Fiiiine. I _guess_ I can answer your question.”

“I need a truthful answer,” Aqua cautioned.

Hades waved a hand. “Whatever.”

“Swear to me you’ll tell the truth,” Aqua insisted.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Swear it on the Styx.”

The temperature in the room seemed to plummet. It was hard to tell, but both Hades and Hermes seemed to pale. “What did you just say?” Hades asked.

“Swear it,” Aqua repeated, “on the Styx. Swear that you will answer truthfully. Swear that I can trust your answer is true.”

“How in the worlds did you know about that?” Hermes asked. He sounded, to Vanitas’s ears, a little scared.

Aqua smirked. “It’s a good idea to do some research on a place before going there. Wouldn’t you say?”

“Fine,” Hades said. “One question. I swear, by the waters of the river Styx, that I will answer it truthfully, to the best of my ability.”

“That’s all I ask,” Aqua said, nodding, “thank you. One question.”

“One question,” Hades repeated.

Aqua closed her eyes and took a deep breath, organizing her thoughts. If she phrased anything in the form of a question, she assumed, Hades would treat it as her “one question”. “The last time I was in Olympus,” she said, “there was a boy named Zack training with Hercules when I left. However, Hercules and Philoctetes say they now do not know where he is, and the messenger goddess Iris was unable to find him. My question, Lord of the Dead, is this: Is Zack dead, here within your domain?”

“That’s _it_?” Hades said, incredulous.

“That’s it,” Aqua nodded.

“What a way to waste a favour from the gods,” Hades muttered. “All right, I’ll take a look.” He reached into one of his desk drawers and pulled out a Rolodex. He licked the tips of his fingers and started leafing through it. “No, no, no, no, no, no, there’s a “Zacharias” but that’s not the guy, no, no, nope.” He closed the Rolodex and shrugged. “Sorry, sweetheart, but Mr. Fair ain’t here.”

“So… so he’s not dead,” Aqua said, starting to smile. “But… where could he be?”

“Don’t care, not my problem, don’t let the door hit ya on the way out,” Hades said. “Now _scram_. I’ve got a job to do.”

“One thing first,” Vanitas said, stepping over. He leaned over Hades’s desk and grabbed him by the front of his tunic.

“Ex _cuse_ you?” Hades said.

“We’re going to leave. And you are not going to punish this dog for his reaction to me,” Vanitas said, softly. “And you are not going to mistreat him. Ever. Clear?”

Hades looked at Hermes, who was pointedly looking in a completely different direction. “…Fine,” Hades muttered. Vanitas let go of his shirt.

“I’ll be back to check in,” he said. “And I’ve got a friend who’ll step in if I’m unavailable.”

“Xion?” Aqua asked.

“Xion,” Vanitas replied.

“You people are unbelievable. FINE, whatever. I’m going back to – _ugh_ – work,” Hades grumbled, and both he and the desk vanished in a puff of smoke.

Hermes clapped both of the Keybearers on the shoulder. “Nicely done,” he said. “And, uh, get that cleaned, okay?” he added, pulling his hand free from Vanitas’s shoulder, still drenched in dog drool.

Vanitas banished the armour, and redeployed it. It was clean. He stowed it again and smirked at Hermes.

“Ah, that’s Hephaestus’s work, huh? Nice,” Hermes said. “Oh, right. Almost forgot. Got a couple of messages for you, too, if your name is Vanitas.”

“It… is?” Vanitas said, confused. He looked over at Aqua, but she seemed to be deep in thought, idly scratching Cerberus’s side.

“First, Chaos just wants to say thank you, she doesn’t usually get sworn by, and she thinks it’s nice that someone does. Second, Aphrodite wants to say…” Hermes dropped his voice, with a glance at Aqua, “that she’s rooting for you, and to hang in there. Sometimes things take longer than you would expect, but that doesn’t mean you should give up hope. Remember, you can’t see the full picture by yourself.”

Vanitas blinked. “What’s that supposed to mean? Who’s Aphrodite?”

Hermes stared at him. “You know what, kid? I don’t feel like telling you. Should be easy enough to figure out for yourself, huh?” Before Vanitas could respond, Aqua’s head jerked up.

“Zack _FAIR_.”

“Huh?” Vanitas asked.

“Hades called him ‘Mr. Fair’,” Aqua said. “Meaning his full name is ‘Zack Fair’. Meaning he _has a surname_.” There was a light starting to shine in her eyes as she smiled. Vanitas’s heart lurched, and he inwardly berated himself for it. “Where do people who have surnames live?”

“All over the damn worlds,” Vanitas pointed out.

“True,” Aqua said, “but consider this. Where do people who have surnames _and know other worlds exist_ live?”

Vanitas blinked. “Destiny Islands, as of a couple weeks ago, but… before that…”

“Radiant Garden,” they both said simultaneously, Aqua’s face much more enthusiastic than Vanitas’s.

“He could’ve asked someone to bring him here,” Aqua said. “I heard that’s how Scrooge McDuck made it to Radiant Garden from Disney Town.”

“It’s worth a look,” Vanitas conceded.

Aqua smiled at him, and he felt his insides turn to mush. He stifled a groan while she turned to Hermes. “Lord Hermes,” she said. “Would you remind returning this to Hercules, and telling him we got what we needed?”

“The Olympus stone?” Hermes asked, taking it from her. “Sure, but don’t you need that to get out of here?”

“Not exactly,” Aqua said, smiling. “Thank you so much.”

“Hey, it’s my job, babe,” Hermes said, bowing. “If you ever need a message delivered, feel free to stop by!”

“Thanks,” Vanitas said. Hermes made a clicking noise with his tongue and pointed his pointer fingers at them, and vanished in a loud flapping of wings. Vanitas gave Cerberus one final pat (with a barely-audible “Good boys”) and followed Aqua through the opened Light Corridor, on to Radiant Garden –

And a whole host of questions for the both of them, some more personal than others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _If there's a prize for rotten judgement_   
>  _I guess he's already won that..._
> 
> I would be extremely surprised if I actually managed to fool any of you into thinking Vanitas _wasn't_ developing a crush on Aqua. Not that I tried very hard to hide it. But I can now, finally admit that my second favourite ship in Kingdom Hearts, after Roxas/Xion, is Vanitas/Aqua. (Please hold all complaints and concerns until the end of the fic).  
> Due to reasons I'm sure you're all aware of, I found myself in a slightly different position at work around the time I was writing this chapter, which involved (or involves, rather, as I'm still doing it) a lot of downtime when people aren't actively entering or exiting the building. The upside of this is that I've managed to read my way through my entire pile of unread books, including some that I've been sitting on since 2016; but more relevantly, including some collections of Greek mythology that my brother brought home from college. Without them, specifically Hesiod's _Theogony_ , I wouldn't have been able to make nearly as many obscure references in this chapter. I'll point out the most glaring: Iris served as the gods' messenger before Hermes was born, although Hermes was able to reach one place she couldn't, namely Hades.  
> Chaos takes a bit more explaining. She was one of the original gods, in the generation that were the Olympians' grandparents. The translation of the _Theogony_ that I read translated her name as "Chasm" (and also never referred to her with a pronoun, I got that from an internet source that I trust less). See, the Greek word "chaos", at least at the time, referred not to discord (you want Eris for that, different goddess) but to the primordial state of things before, well, _things_. So, in other words, you can also translate "Chaos" as... "Void". So Vanitas has been unwittingly invoking this goddess by name. And she appreciates it! And that, dear readers, is the joke. :P  
> I also took the opportunity to address a continuity flaw so minor I'm probably the only person who noticed it. For some reason, back in "Anti" in Re:Adjustments, Vanitas knew what the game of fetch was. He would have had no reason to know about that, so I invented one. Cerberus is a good boys.  
> The idea that in Disney-verse, the Persephone myth plays out as a custody battle between ex-spouses Hades and Demeter was a concept that was proposed for the Hercules TV series but never actually used in an episode. I never saw that show, but it's a neat idea, so I ran with it as others have.  
> Jumping far back, do you have any idea how far backwards you have to bend over to get a Rose Quartz quote to sound natural coming out of Megara? Pretty far. But you can pry my voice actor allusions out of my cold, dead hands.  
> The whole deal with Hades being literally chained to a desk grew out of a misconception of mine back when I started this AU: that the Olympus Coliseum world in KH1 takes place _after_ the events of Hercules the film. This is a belief I held until KH3 came out and suddenly "oh, we're actually doing Hercules now". So this is how I rationalize that, since Working Back To Hero was also written with this belief in mind.  
> I think that's about everything! Join us next week for a trip to Radiant Garden. Hot on the trail... of a cold case.  
> Until then!


	2. Living Legacy

“More tea?”

“Yes, thank you,” Aqua said. She and Vanitas were sitting in a living room that was very familiar to Vanitas, with some equally familiar-to-Vanitas company. They were in the house occupied by the self-styled, and also the closest the world could come to “official”, Radiant Garden Restoration Committee.

Sort of. While they had all roomed together at one point, a few of them were planning on moving out; specifically Shera and Cid, who were looking into finding a place closer to the gummi ship docks and their jobs, and Cloud and Aerith. Whose talks had gone _quite_ well. At the moment, however, everyone was present, which Vanitas assumed was a rarity. He had been a little embarrassed upon arriving, as everyone he’d met before had _remembered_ him, and had asked how he was doing. Every. Single. One. To make matters worse, Aqua kept side-eyeing him with a teasing smirk every single time.

Her smirk was fucking adorable.

He was reasonably certain he was going to actually, noticeably blush if she kept it up.

And then where would he be?

Shera had made tea for them all, and Vanitas had to admit that Cid hadn’t been lying the last time he’d been here, she did indeed make the best _goddamn_ tea he’d ever had (Not that he had much experience with tea, outside what Aerith had made for him the last time he was here). Aqua, a much more seasoned tea drinker, seemed to greatly enjoy it as well.

“Nice to hear the sword isn’t dangling over all our heads anymore,” Leon said, smiling a bit as Aerith got up to refill the teapot. “So what brings you around here?”

Aqua took a deep breath. “A bit of a long shot, to be honest. We’re trying to find someone I met thirteen years ago, who might have been from Radiant Garden.”

“Might’ve been from here, huh?” Cid grunted. “Good luck.”

“What Cid means is, we’re still getting people recompleting from the Fall,” Tifa said. “Plus, a lot of people didn’t survive, even then. If they were here, then…” she shrugged, looking apologetic.

Aqua shook her head. “I met him in another world, actually. It’s possible he might have escaped the Fall just by not being here.”

“We are getting people in who managed to get away during the Fall like we did,” Cloud said. “It’s not impossible this person could’ve avoided the Fall and then come back. Who is he?”

“Well, it’s been thirteen years, so I’m not sure what he looks like now,” said Aqua, “but his name was Zack Fair.”

There was a loud crash from behind them. Aqua and Vanitas spun in their chairs to see Aerith, halfway through the door to the kitchen, a brown puddle filled with ceramic shards spreading out from her feet. Her hands were still outstretched from how she’d been holding the teapot, and her face had turned stark white.

A look of shock had passed around the other people in the room as well, all save for Shera, who hopped up and pulled Aerith a few steps back, out of the mess. “Did you say… Zack Fair?” Cloud almost whispered.

“What’s wrong?” Aqua asked, but Aerith’s breathing had started to hitch, and Cloud was by her side in heartbeat, closely followed by Tifa and Yuffie.

Leon rose to his feet, and gestured to Aqua and Vanitas. “Outside,” he said, urgently. Aqua and Vanitas both blinked, but followed him.

As the door closed behind them, Vanitas caught a glimpse of Aerith, tears pouring down her face, being gently escorted upstairs by Cloud.

“I’m so, so sorry,” Aqua said as soon as they were out, “I didn’t mean to–”

“You didn’t know,” Leon said, shaking his head. “Not your fault.”

Aqua frowned. “Know what?”

This seemed to take Leon off guard. “Shit,” he muttered. “You really _don’t_ know.”

“No, we don’t,” Vanitas said, “and we’re not going to unless you tell us. Did you know this guy?”

Leon looked uncomfortable. “Yeah. Yeah, we did.”

“Did something happen?” Aqua asked, visibly concerned. “Is he okay?”

Leon took a deep breath. “No.

“I’m sorry to tell you this, Master Aqua… but Zack Fair died a long time ago.”

Aqua’s face didn’t change. It held perfectly still, the same expression of alarm and concern. But Vanitas knew her better than that, now. He could tell, she was feeling like the ground had been pulled away from her feet. Like what she had thought to be a firm foundation was, in fact, quicksand. Her world was flipping upside down in the worst way possible.

She was shutting down, he could tell. “What happened?” he heard himself say from a distance away. She needed time, and he’d buy her that.

Leon sighed, leaned back against the house’s exterior wall and crossed his arms. “Sephiroth happened,” he said.

Vanitas frowned. “The silver-haired asshole with the sword bigger than he is and a wing he couldn’t possibly fly with but somehow did?”

Leon blinked. “You’ve seen him before?”

“He was one of Xehanort’s thirteen chucklefucks,” Vanitas said. “The old bastard had to have him run through, didn’t look like he could control him. The fuck was his deal?”

Leon frowned, concerned. “That’s impossible. Sephiroth died over a year ago.”

Vanitas shrugged. “Time travel’s a bitch. Either way, he’s dead-dead now.”

Aqua still hadn’t moved. Leon looked at her, then back to Vanitas. “You asked me what his deal was, and I guess you have a right to know.” He took a deep breath. “I got most of this secondhand from Cecil, cause I was a kid when it happened, but before Xehanort came to Radiant Garden wearing your friend’s body, Ansem the Wise used to have another apprentice. He was the most senior at the time. But, he got caught doing things… unspeakable things… to people he’d kidnapped.”

“Worse than what Xehanort ended up doing?” Vanitas asked, raising an eyebrow. He’d heard about the creation of the Emblem Heartless and the experiments that resulted in the Fall. It was hard to imagine something that could top that in terms of “bad”.

“We’re pretty sure his research inspired Xehanort’s,” Leon said, quietly.

“What did he do?” Vanitas asked.

Leon took a deep breath. “The one that got him caught… was an attempt to remove a person’s heart from their body. Just to see what would happen.”

“A Heartless and a Nobody, if the victim was strong-willed enough,” Vanitas said. “Lucky that didn’t happen to the poor bastard, huh?”

Leon gave him a look. “They didn’t catch him in time. It did happen.” Both of them turned to look at Aqua. “That’s what you’re saying, right?” she asked.

Leon nodded. “Shit,” Vanitas said.

“Pretty much,” Leon agreed. “The guy dumped the kid before Ansem the Wise caught on to what he was doing, but there was enough evidence from that and previous experiments that… well… There’s a reason Hojo’s not around anymore. And good fucking riddance.”

“That’s where Sephiroth came from?” Aqua asked. “He was the resulting Nobody?”

Leon shook his head. “No. He was the resulting _Heartless_.

“The Nobody was Cloud.”

There was a moment of shocked silence. “We found him on the street, back when we were kids,” Leon continued. “This would have been… I think about a year or two before the Fall? He was in rough shape, but we decided to care for him, try to find his parents. Myself, Aerith, Tifa… and Zack Fair.”

“He was your friend,” Aqua said, understanding. “So that’s why…”

Leon nodded. “Aerith always had a thing for him. So when we found out he had… It hit her especially hard. It still does.” He shifted against the wall. “Right before the Fall, Zack managed to find a way to get to another world. We’re not sure how. It wasn’t King Mickey, we know that for sure. He said he wanted to get stronger. To protect us all.” Leon snorted. “Little did he know, huh? Anyway, after Cid brought us all to Traverse Town, Cloud left, trying to hunt down Zack. Tifa left to follow him, which is why it was just me, Yuffie, Cid, and Aerith when we met Sora.”

“Cloud doesn’t exactly seem like a Nobody,” Vanitas pointed out. “I’m pretty sure he has a heart.”

“It grew slowly, what with the Fall and all. He didn’t start to get the full range of his emotions back until after Sephiroth died, and he settled back here with us.” A new voice entered the scene, and the three of them looked up to see that Tifa had joined them.

“How is she?” Leon asked.

“Not good, but she’ll be okay. Cloud is with her,” Tifa said.

“How… did you find out?” Aqua asked. “Are you really sure that he’s… dead?” There was a hint of a stumble over the last word. Vanitas understood why.

Saying it made it real.

Leon looked at Tifa. “I can tell the story if you’d prefer–”

“No,” Tifa said, cutting him off. “I was there. It’s my story to tell.” She bit her lip. “It’s a story about me… and Cloud… and Sephiroth… and Sora.”

Vanitas blinked. “Sora?” he asked, confused.

Tifa nodded. “About two years ago, I chased Cloud back here to Radiant Garden. He was chasing Sephiroth. And Sephiroth… was waiting here for him. Sora stepped in, and fought Sephiroth instead, but didn’t beat him. Sephiroth escaped through a portal, and Cloud and I followed him through…

“And so did Sora.”

Tifa’s greatest fear had been arriving late. Either arriving not soon enough to catch up with Cloud before he left again in pursuit of Sephiroth, or arriving not soon enough to save Cloud’s life.

And she _was_ late.

Fortunately for her, Cloud wasn’t. She burst into the clearing in time to hear Sephiroth say, “Absurd. Defeating me is meaningless. You know that more than anyone, Cloud. No matter how many times I fall, your darkness keeps calling me back!”

“Wrong!” she shouted. She was a little surprised to see the three people she’d met in the castle – Sora, Donald, and Goofy – there, but Cloud and Sephiroth didn’t so much as look at her.

“Tifa! Stay back!” Cloud ordered, and there was a little bit of her not intensely terrified and concerned that was happy to hear him sound worried. It had been so long since she’d heard _any_ emotion from him whatsoever.

“How can I?” she countered. “I want to help you.” As she spoke, Sephiroth shifted, and Cloud slid back a couple feet, breaking their previous blade lock.

“You can’t,” Sephiroth observed as Cloud readied his stance once more. “He’ll never let go of the darkness.” Neither man had turned to look at her. Sora, Donald, and Goofy seemed to be frozen in understandable fear.

“He doesn’t _have_ to,” Tifa said, firmly. “He just needs someone to surround him with light.” Cloud had been starting to open up, before the Fall. What she, and Aerith and Leon and Zack, had been doing _had_ been working, she was sure of it. No matter what Sephiroth said, Cloud’s heart was _not_ forever lost to the Darkness.

Sephiroth’s sword swung towards her, and Tifa hopped back. “The darkness will be there, Sephiroth – but in a place you can’t reach,” she continued, hoping she sounded more confident than she was feeling.

“Is that right?” Sephiroth asked, amused. “Let’s see what this light of yours can do.” He brought his sword down, but Tifa bent out of the way, taking advantage of the opening to lunge forwards. Sephiroth stepped to the side, and her fist passed through the point where his chin had previously been. Tifa landed, light on her feet, and turned back to face the silver-haired monster, her fists up and ready.

Cloud tried to jump between them, but a barrier blocked his way, blinding him. Tifa lunged for Sephiroth once more, but he simply leaned out of the way of her right cross, uppercut, and both kicks before sending her flying backwards with a shove. Tifa skidded to a halt and straightened up, just in time to dodge jabs from Sephiroth’s sword. A part of her that wasn’t concentrating on not getting stabbed was irritated with the fact that Sephiroth was using a sword designed for slashing as a rapier. Did he really think so little of her?

Cloud slowly regained his vision, blinking the darkness away, just in time to register Sora’s cry of “Look out!” as Sephiroth feinted away from Tifa and lunged for him. Cloud jumped, and landed once more between Sephiroth and Tifa. “Cloud, you can have my light,” Tifa said, and he looked back at her in surprise.

“The light doesn’t suit you,” Sephiroth called from across the clearing.

“I just… don’t know,” Cloud muttered. Tifa internally winced at the conflicted tone in his voice.

“There’s nothing wrong with that, Cloud,” Sephiroth said, in a tone cruel in its gentleness. “All you need to do – is accept that you’ll always be alone.”

“Wrong again,” Tifa snarled. “He’s never alone. We’re all right here beside him.” She moved next to Cloud, readying her fists. A spark of light flared between them.

Sephiroth shook his head. “Please. You may stand side by side, but there is an unbridgeable distance between you. Filled with the deep darkness that lurks in Cloud’s heart.”

“That’s not true!” Both Cloud and Tifa turned, surprised, as Sora stepped up next to them, Keyblade in hand. “No matter how deep the darkness, light can always shine through!” Another flash of light passed between Sora and Cloud.

Sephiroth, for his part, seemed mildly bemused. “Sora? I would have thought you’d have realized your struggle against me is more than you can handle.”

“Maybe,” Sora said, and it was inspiring how he was only shaking _slightly_. “But I can’t sit by and leave my friends when they’re in trouble.”

Sephiroth laughed. “Then… I have a favour to ask of you.”

“A… favour?” Sora asked, confused.

“Yes.” Before the three of them could react, or Donald and Goofy could intervene, Sephiroth rushed forwards, a wave of Darkness flowing down from his shoulders and engulfing them. “Come with me.”

Before Donald and Goofy’s shocked eyes, the four vanished, leaving behind only a small black feather, and the lingering echo of Sephiroth’s last words:

“ _We’re going to see my mother._ ”

Tifa coughed, and gasped for air. One second, she had been standing in Radiant Garden, and now –

Where was she?

The walls were tight and enclosed, and – in what little light she had to see them by – a dark colour that reminded her more than anything of a bruise. There was a slight give to them that was… disturbingly flesh-like. Right before she pulled her hand back, she could swear she felt a slight pulse through the wall.

[Like a heartbeat.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF6QZY4kuoc&feature=youtu.be)

“Cloud? Sora?” she called, forcing herself to ignore what she’d just felt.

“Tifa!” It was Cloud’s voice. There was movement in the corner of her eye, and Cloud was there, standing with her.

“Cloud, thank goodness,” she gasped, relieved. “Do you see Sora?”

“I’m here!” From her other side, Sora came from around a bend in what appeared to be some kind of tunnel. That was what Tifa preferred to think of it as, anyway. “Where are we?”

“No idea,” Cloud said. “Wherever Sephiroth took us.”

Sora gulped, and his grip tightened on his Keyblade. “All right. So… any idea how to get out?”

Cloud looked at him, then moved to walk down the path. “Hopefully, we can find one,” Tifa said, giving Sora an apologetic look. He looked nervous. Tifa internally grimaced. How old was the poor kid? She knew he’d been dealing with his own problems… but Sephiroth was in a league of his own.

To her surprise, Sora smiled. It was a little shaky, but it was a smile. “All right,” he said. She was amazed.

“This way. Stay together,” Cloud called from up ahead, and Tifa and Sora hurried to join him.

“So… Sephiroth said something about seeing his mother?” Sora asked, after a period of walking in silence. The tunnel walls became no less disturbing as they continued. “Who is that, exactly?”

“He doesn’t have one,” Cloud said, brusquely.

Sora blink. “Um… I’m pretty sure everyone has to have a mother to exist.”

“Not Sephiroth,” Cloud said, in the exact same tone.

“Uh…” Sora looked to Tifa, confused.

Tifa sighed. “Sephiroth isn’t… a person, Sora.”

“Then… what is he?” Sora asked, frowning.

“He’s… a Heartless,” Tifa explained. She looked at Cloud, wondering if he was okay with her telling Sora the whole story. But he didn’t meet her gaze. Well, fine. He’d led her on this merry chase through the worlds, he could take a bit of exposition being given to someone she knew considered him a friend.

Served him right for being so hard to find.

Sora’s eyes widened. “A Heartless? Is… is he wearing someone’s body, like Ansem did to Riku?”

“No,” Tifa said, shaking her head. “As far as we know, he just came into being like that.” Ahead of them, Cloud continued pressing silently onwards.

Sora shuddered. “Glad he didn’t leave behind a Nobody, then. I couldn’t imagine Organization XIII having someone like that working for them.”

Tifa watched Cloud carefully, but he didn’t seem to react. “Cloud?” she asked, unsure.

Cloud stopped. “He did leave behind a Nobody, Sora,” he said. “Why else do you think he insists we’re so connected? Why else do you think I can’t be rid of him?”

Slowly, the pieces assembled themselves for Sora, who gasped. “Cloud – you’re a Nobody?” he asked. “Like Roxas?”

“I don’t know who this ‘Roxas’ is, but yes,” Cloud said. He still hadn’t turned around. “I’m dealing with it as best I can. It’s not a problem.”

“If you… say so…” Sora said. To Tifa, he still sounded confused. “But…” she heard him murmur to himself, “Nobodies are…”

Cloud started walking again, ignoring Sora’s words even though Tifa was sure he had heard them. Sora, on the other hand, sounded incredibly conflicted. Hopefully he’d be able to get through it like he had his fear.

They continued to walk in silence for a few minutes; Tifa was able to tell from the pulsing in the walls. She couldn’t shake the conception of the rhythmic thumping as a heartbeat, eerie as it may seem.

Ahead of her and Sora, Cloud froze. “Did you hear that?” he asked, turning back to them.

Sora shook his head. “Hear what?” Tifa asked.

“Listen,” Cloud said.

Echoing through the caverns came a familiar voice.

“ _Mother… I’m home._ ”

“Sephiroth,” Cloud snarled, and rushed forwards despite Tifa’s protests. Tifa and Sora exchanged a glance, then chased after him, hot on his heels.

Their tunnel came to a terminus in a large cavern, whose walls were just as unsettling as the tunnel’s had been. Cloud had come to a stop in the middle of it, his sword held loosely in his right hand.

Sephiroth stood at the far end of the cavern, before something entirely incongruous in the setting: a large, stained-glass portrait of a thin woman with blood-red lips, pale red eyes, a cruel smile, and a thin, red heart etched on her forehead. “Not long now, Mother,” he said, not seeming to notice Cloud’s presence. “You should have ruled these worlds. You were stronger, smarter. But then they came, those hearts of light… They came, and with their Keyblades took the worlds away from you. But don’t be sad, Mother. I am with you now.”

“You don’t _have_ a mother!” Cloud challenged as Tifa and Sora took up position beside him. Slowly, Sephiroth turned to face him.

“I’m afraid you are misinformed, Cloud,” he said. “All of Darkness has a Mother. And I have been chosen to lead her children.”

“Children of Darkness?” Sora asked, blankly. “You don’t mean… Heartless?”

Sephiroth smiled. “Indeed I do, Sora. An army of Darkness to sweep through the worlds, and return them to their rightful state. All becomes one in the Darkness of eternity. And you will join me, Cloud.”

“Not happening,” Cloud retorted.

“Cloud is not part of the Darkness,” Tifa agreed.

“We’re not going to let you have him!” Sora declared.

Sephiroth, still smiling, shook his head. “That is precisely what I desire. You… are those he is closest to. When I kill you… it will stoke the fires of Darkness within him. And bind him to that Darkness forever.”

“We’re not dying here,” Tifa said. “We–”

“Have dreams to pursue?” Sephiroth asked. “Have precious honour to uphold? I’ve heard this before. Honour and dreams can only carry you so far through the Darkness. Despite what _he_ believed.”

Slowly, Tifa’s fists clenched tighter, and Cloud’s grip tightened on his sword. “You have no right,” she said, slowly. “Leave him out of this.”

Sora was looking between them, confused. “Leave… who?”

Sephiroth ignored him. “But how can I? Zack is of the utmost importance. New Darkness is born through death, after all. And that Darkness becomes part of _me_.”

“…You’re lying,” Cloud said. “Zack disappeared years ago, you couldn’t have–”

He was cut off by the motion of Sephiroth’s arm. Light caught on a silver blade as it flew, landing point down between Sephiroth and Cloud. It was a longsword, with a curved guard and a simple, blue-bound hilt, engraved with a peculiar symbol.

A distinctive symbol.

Equal amounts of rage and despair welled up from within Tifa as she recognized the sword that Zack had carried when he left. Beside her, Cloud was shaking in his own rage. Sora had no frame of reference for what was going on, but he could read Tifa and Cloud’s reactions perfectly, his hand tightening on his Keyblade.

“Do not fear,” Sephiroth said, gently. “Zack Fair’s memory will live on in your hearts. And his darkness will live on as part of _me_.” Noticing Cloud’s reaction, he smirked. “What, Cloud? Are you trying to tell me you have feelings, too? You are just a puppet. You have no heart, and cannot _truly_ feel any pain.”

“Shut up,” Cloud snarled, and brandished his sword.

“No,” said Sephiroth. “The only thing you have left to do in this world, Cloud, is sit back and watch as I destroy everyone you care about. Watch, as I drive you to the depths of despair.” He raised his free hand. In it was clutched a small, polished black marble.

“What’s that?” Sora asked, because someone had to.

Sephiroth smiled. “Distilled, crystalized Darkness. The knowledge and wisdom of our great Mother is held within. Anyone with this knowledge can freely use the powers of the deepest Darkness. That knowledge interacts between ourselves and the Darkness, calling up power. Specifically, this is the darkness I received from Zack Fair. It proves… most useful.” Slowly, he cupped his hand around it, and placed it against his heart. “It’s all over, Cloud. [Now everything will begin… with me!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPQii0-A98c&feature=youtu.be)”

A blast of power surged out of Sephiroth, pushing Cloud, Sora, and Tifa back, blinding them. As their eyes cleared, they beheld Sephiroth, but not as any had seen him before.

The blue wing formerly on his back had merged forwards, now joined with his right arm and turned a dark red. His jacket had blown off, leaving his chest exposed. His torso extended down into a white cloud, and from it extended not legs, but six massive wings. Behind him rose two halos, linked despite their incongruous sizes. In his left hand, he still clutched his sword, but it had grown even longer and more ornate.

A spell flashed between Sephiroth and the other three, and Sephiroth smiled. “Behold, Cloud. True despair.” He leveled his sword at Tifa, and a Flare spell wreathed in Darkness shot towards her.

Before it could hit, Cloud tackled her out of the way. There was a sizeable hole left in the cavern wall behind where she’d been standing. Before they could rise to their feet, Sephiroth lunged forwards, swiping with his wing-arm and sword.

They crashed against Sora’s Keyblade, pushing the young Keybearer backwards. “What is this?” Sora gasped.

“I have no idea,” Cloud said, helping Tifa rise. “But we have to stop him.”

“Easier said than done,” Tifa grumbled, as Sephiroth rose higher into the air. They scrambled back into some kind of formation, raising sword, Keyblade, and fist. Sephiroth’s wings flared, and a burst of energy shaped like a pale horse shot forwards towards Cloud. Cloud sank down on one knee, gasping for air.

“I’ve got him!” Sora said, and Tifa nodded, turning to Sephiroth. She stalked towards him, and brandished her fists.

“All right, asshole. Eat _this_.”

Over the course of her travels, she had fallen in with a man named Zangan. The man had been taken aback by her intent to continue on with not much in the way of defending herself, and so had taken it upon himself to teach her how to fight. She’d taken to his “Way of the Fist” like a duck to water, to his delight. She owed a lot to the old man, even if she wasn’t a fan of being proclaimed a “Master of Fisting” when she’d mastered his techniques to his satisfaction.

She hadn’t expected to be using them on Sephiroth, though she’d admit she relished the opportunity even if the circumstances were dire. “Beat Rush,” she murmured to herself as she threw a series of punches, “Somersault,” as she spun, kicking Sephiroth in the face, “Waterkick,” as she landed and leapt again, landing another kick, “Meteodrive,” as she slammed Sephiroth into the wall behind him, “Dolphin Blow,” as she rammed her fist into his chin, “Meteor Strike,” as she tossed him into another wall, “Final Heaven!” A single punch slammed into Sephiroth’s face, and a massive explosion engulfed the Heartless monster.

Tifa landed, light on her feet, to see Sora pulling Cloud to his. “You okay?” she asked, and Cloud nodded.

“Impressive,” he said. “Where’d you learn that?”

Tifa smiled, a little embarrassed. “You know. Just something I picked up along the way.”

“I don’t think it stopped him!” Sora said, pointing as Sephiroth rose back into the air. Sephiroth shook himself, and a pale line of black liquid trailed down from the corner of his mouth. His eyes narrowed, and Sora, Cloud, and Tifa were suddenly suffused in a wave of darkness.

Bright points of light filled the void, and the three watched in surprise as a comet streaked through a sea of stars. It soared towards a galaxy, and there was a bright flash as their view changed. Planets they didn’t recognize started appearing, as the meteor smashed through a dwarf planet, pulled the rings off of a gas giant, sailed right through a larger gas giant, passed through an asteroid field, and impacted directly into a sun. The resulting shockwave obliterated two more planets, and slowly encroached on a third.

“What… was all that about?” Sora had time to ask before the shockwave from the vision slammed into him, Tifa, and Cloud. The three were forced to their knees, down, but not out.

Sora cast a Curaga over them, and they staggered to their feet, glaring up at Sephiroth. “That all? That wasn’t so bad,” Cloud said, mocking.

Sephiroth turned to Tifa and pointed. Before anyone could react, a boulder detached from the ceiling and landed on top of her. Winded, she stood up, and tried to turn back to Sephiroth.

Her feet wouldn’t move.

“What?” she gasped, looking down at her legs.

In a slow wave travelling upwards from her ankles, she was turning to stone.

“Cloud!” she shouted, terrified, as the stone made its way up her thighs.

“Tifa!” Cloud shouted, ignoring Sephiroth lowering himself closer to the ground to run to her side.

“Do you see now, Cloud?” Sephiroth asked. “All returns to Darkness. All will despair. Nothing you can do can prevent the inevitable.”

“That’s what you think!”

Sephiroth turned to look just in time for Sora’s Strike Raid to hit him in the face. Sora’s clothing had transformed – or rather, changed colour from its black, silver, and yellow normal appearance, to white and red with blue details. “Help her! I’ll hold him off!” he yelled to Cloud, and focused on the fight. He continued hurling his Keyblade at Sephiroth, managing to send him back. He followed it with a seven-hit combo, an attempted stab by Sephiroth not even scratching him, followed by five more blows, then slammed his Keyblade down on Sephiroth.

The stone was now crawling up Tifa’s hips, and she knew that if it reached her torso – her lungs – it would be over. “Cloud?” she asked, terrified.

“It’s going to be okay, Tifa,” he said, and there was so much in his tone – confidence, worry, fear, determination. “Trust me.”

“I do,” she whispered, as he drew a long, thin, gold needle out from his hip pocket.

“I’m not sure if this will hurt or not,” he said. Behind them, Sora rose into the air after a new combo and launched a charged ball of energy towards Sephiroth. The energy spiralled into several shots, all of which homed in on Sephiroth, stunning him.

Cloud brought the needle back, and plunged it into the stone area of Tifa’s leg.

It did hurt, but it was preferable to being turned into statuary. “Thank you,” she said, rubbing the sore spot where the needle had gone in as her skin returned to normal.

She was expecting something along the lines of “Whatever”, but instead Cloud gave the barest hint of a smile. “Anytime.”

Tifa beamed, and they turned back to the fight in time to see Sora lunge towards Sephiroth, crossing over him six times in a row before settling back to the ground. “Tifa? Cloud?” he called back over his shoulder.

“I’m fine!” Tifa replied, and Sora beamed.

Sephiroth gestured with his wing-hand.

Sora’s clothes abruptly turned back to normal.

“Oh, that’s not good,” Sora muttered, as a wave of magic hit all three of them.

“Enough of this farce,” Sephiroth said, and vanished. The three of them looked in shock, but couldn’t see him.

The chamber pulsed for one beat.

Two.

Three.

Sephiroth reappeared directly in front of Tifa, and rammed his sword home.

“Tifa!” Cloud yelled, and it sounded like his heart was being ripped out through his throat. Tifa blinked, blearily, looking down at the sword now sticking through her midsection.

“My, you don’t look so well, Tifa,” Sephiroth said, quietly, intimately. “Rest, now. Your only crime… was being important to Cloud. It’s nothing you could have helped.” Slowly, he started to draw the sword back out.

Tifa’s hand lashed out and seized the blade.

Sephiroth blinked. “What?”

As best she could with the searing pain, Tifa took a deep breath. She lifted her foot, and stamped it down into a bracing stance, and brought her other arm up to join the first. Arm muscles bulging with the effort, she held Sephiroth’s sword fast. “How?” Sephiroth asked. “Where did you find this… strength?”

“SEPHIROTH!”

Sephiroth looked up in time to see Cloud bearing down on him, fury in his eyes. His Fusion Sword had become unwrapped, and part of it had sectioned off into a smaller sword, a bent “V” shape as seen from head-on, held in Cloud’s off-hand. Both sections of the sword slammed down on either side of Sephiroth’s neck, sending black blood spurting.

Sephiroth screamed in agony, then began to laugh. “Cloud… Cloud, don’t be foolish. You know… you can’t win. You know… I will always be back. Your darkness… will keep calling me back… no matter how many times I fall!”

“Sephiroth!” Cloud growled.

“Cloud!” Sephiroth echoed, a feral grin on his face. Their faces grew closer, and closer, until a strange look came over Sephiroth’s.

A gout of black blood erupted from between his lips. “W-what?” he croaked.

Out from behind him stepped Sora, a haunted look on his face, shocked at his own actions, as he withdrew his Keyblade from Sephiroth’s spine.

“You can’t kill a Heartless with normal weapons,” he said, quietly, as if he couldn’t quite hear his own voice. “To kill one permanently… you need a Keyblade.”

Black smoke began to billow out from Sephiroth’s body. “No… Impossible! CLOUD!” Sephiroth shrieked. “I will… never be… a memory!”

Time seemed to slow as Sephiroth’s form dissipated, leaving behind only a red heart that disappeared from view. “Tifa!” Cloud said, and rushed to her side.

The massive sword hadn’t vanished with Sephiroth, and Tifa was half-braced upon it, her grip the only thing preventing her from falling further down it. “Tifa, it’s okay, it’s over,” Cloud said, and gently took Tifa’s hands off the sword. The blade had cut right through her gloves, and her palms were bleeding, but that was hardly the biggest issue she was facing.

“Can you take the sword out? I can heal her,” Sora said. Cloud nodded, and slowly pulled the long blade out of Tifa’s torso. She whimpered in pain, but started breathing easier as Sora’s Curaga washed over her.

Weakly, she smiled at him. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“Of course,” Sora replied, but his lip twisted. “I’m sorry, I’m not all that good with magic just yet. I think it’s gonna scar.”

“That’s okay,” Tifa said. “A scar is a small price to pay.” And it was, compared to one of them dying.

“You sure you’re going to be okay?” Cloud asked.

Tifa smiled. “What, were you worried about me?” she teased.

Cloud looked away. “Of course I was.”

She smiled wider, and rose unsteadily to her feet. “Well, I’m fine. So do me a solid, and don’t worry about it, okay?”

“Not sure I can agree to that,” Cloud said, and she laughed.

Her laughter faded as Cloud walked over and withdrew Zack’s sword from the ground. “Poor Zack,” she said.

“Yeah,” Cloud agreed. He sighed. “It’s my fault.”

“It was Sephiroth’s fault,” Sora broke in. “I might not have known this Zack guy, but I don’t think he was the kind of person who’d want you to be blaming yourself about this.”

Cloud contemplated this for a moment. “Yeah. You’re right. He wasn’t that kind of guy.” Tifa grimaced. Sephiroth might have been gone, but they’d lost a friend.

This would hit Aerith especially hard. She’d always had a thing for him, way back when, although she was pretty sure Zack had never realized it. Still, the least they could do was bring back his sword. To remember him by, if nothing else.

Which brought up a pressing question. “Any idea how we get home?” she asked.

“That’s a good question,” Cloud said, in a tone that Tifa recognized as meaning he didn’t have the faintest idea.

“I dunno, either,” Sora said. “What if we–?”

He was cut off by a pulsing light from his own Keyblade. A beam shot forth from it, making a large, swirling portal of light appear in the middle of the cavern. “Sora?” Tifa asked, but he looked just as surprised as they did.

“Not sure,” he said, shrugging, “but anywhere’s got to be better than here.”

“Well,” Cloud said, slinging the Fusion Sword onto his back, and taking Zack’s sword in his arms, “let’s mosey.”

Tifa glanced at him, amused. “Good to have you back, Cloud. Think you’ll stay a while this time?”

Cloud looked at her, and smiled. “You know what, Tifa? I think I will.”

Together, the three stepped through the portal.

“And that’s how Sora killed Sephiroth,” Tifa said, touching a spot on her stomach without seeming to notice she was doing so. “And… how we found out what happened to Zack.”

The silence that had descended over Vanitas, Aqua, and Leon while Tifa had been talking lingered. Vanitas couldn’t help but notice Tifa shiver once she was done. It had clearly been traumatic; no wonder Sora had had nightmares about it after the fact.

“So he’s… he’s gone,” Aqua said, softly.

“I’m sorry,” Tifa said.

Aqua shook her head. “You’re sure? Completely sure?”

Tifa sighed. It sounded like a heavy weight was sitting on her shoulders. “Completely. Zack was… he was like Sora, in some ways. If he had any way of returning to us, he would have. The sword was his, and… Sephiroth would only have known some of the things he’d said if he’d talked to Zack.” She sighed again. “Sephiroth wanted to hurt Cloud. And nothing hurts worse… than the truth.”

Aqua’s lip twitched. She shook her head, pinching her eyes closed, and taking a breath. “Where–”

The door opened once more, and Aerith stepped out.

“Aerith,” Tifa said, turning to her. “How… are you feeling?”

“Not great,” Aerith said, smiling faintly, “but it’s getting easier.”

“Miss Aerith,” Aqua said, stepping forwards, “I’m so, so sorry. I had no idea that–”

“Master Aqua?” Aerith asked, and Aqua stopped talking. “You had no way to know. It’s okay.” Her smile turned a touch sardonic. “I promise.”

“Still,” Aqua said, rubbing her arm.

“Still,” Aerith agreed. She took a deep breath, and let it out. “Tifa told you about…?”  
“About Sora and Sephiroth,” Aqua confirmed.

“I see,” Aerith said. There was a lull in the conversation.

Vanitas, Leon, and Tifa had pulled back a bit, since all three could tell this conversation was personal between the two women. “Can I ask how you knew him?” Aerith said finally.

Aqua blanched. “Well… I… um… We, uh, met in a world called Olympus. I was trying to track down my friends, and Zack had competed in a tournament against Terra,” she said.

“I see,” Aerith said, nodding. “That was a long time ago, though, right?”

“Yeah,” Aqua admitted. “Thirteen years. I was… indisposed… for over a decade, but I… wanted to find him again. See how things turned out for him. He seemed… nice.”

Aerith was still nodding. “Did he ask you out, perchance?” she asked.

Aqua froze. “I… um… he… uh…”

A smirk slid across Aerith’s face. “‘Oh no, the person who didn’t know I had a crush on him asked out someone else, how terrible, surely that makes you a horrible person I should hate.’ Is that how you thought I’d react?”

Aqua flushed. “It… um… does sound silly when you put it like that,” she admitted.

Aerith chuckled. “Thirteen years, though… I don’t mean to be rude, but what exactly were you expecting?”

“Nothing at all,” Aqua said. “I mean…” she sighed. “Closure, I guess. He did seem really nice. I just… wanted to know if he’d gotten the happiness I thought he deserved.”

Aerith’s smile dimmed. “You’re a kind person yourself, Master Aqua,” she said.

“I’m sorry,” Aqua murmured.

Aerith brought the side of her hand down on Aqua’s head. Aqua let out a noise that to Vanitas’s surprise was almost a squeak.

He tried to ignore how cute it was.

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for,” Aerith said softly, her hand still on Aqua’s head. “All you’ve done is shown me that Zack touched even more people than I thought – that he’ll be remembered by even more people than I thought. If you think that’s something you need to be sorry for, then all is forgiven.” She gave Aqua’s head a couple of pats. “Okay?”

Aqua sniffed. “Okay.”

There was a moment of silence as they shared their sorrow, a sorrow new for Aqua and old for Aerith. The other three stepped back in, and Vanitas resisted the urge to take Aqua’s hand. It was only in sympathy, but what with everything he was now trying to deal with, he was somewhat terrified of how it could come across, especially if she didn’t want him to do something like that. He watched Tifa extend an arm and Aerith lean into it with, bizarrely, a twinge of jealousy.

“I, um,” Aqua said, and stopped.

“Yes?” Aerith said, with an encouraging smile.

Aqua bit her lip. “Miss Tifa, you said… you and Cloud brought his sword back?”

“We did,” Tifa confirmed.

“We put it up as a memorial,” Leon said.

Aqua nodded. “That’s what I was hoping. Do you mind if we… go to visit him?”

“Of course not,” Aerith said. “Do you want us to take you, or–”

“I’d kind of like to go myself,” Aqua said, hurriedly. “If that’s okay?”

Aerith smiled. “Of course. It’s over in the Outer Gardens. Do you know the way?”

Aqua nodded. “I do. Van?”

Vanitas started. “Huh?”

“You coming?” Aqua asked.

“Yeah, of course,” he said. “You going to be okay?”

Aqua bit her lip. “…I’m not sure,” she said, quietly.

They bid goodbye to their friends, and Aqua received another admonishment from Aerith for apologizing unnecessarily, and then made their way to the Outer Gardens plaza. They walked in silence, Aqua alone with her thoughts, and Vanitas desperately trying to think if there was anything he could do to help her.

The line of thinking didn’t even strike him as odd at this point.

Aqua’s boots clacked across the cobblestones. At the farthest corner of the plaza, a silver shape stuck out of the ground. The sword had been polished until it gleamed, but signs of age and rust were setting in. It was to be expected.

The small mound where the sword stood was surrounded with white and yellow flowers.

Aqua stopped in front of it. Vanitas hung back, not wanting to intrude.

Aqua forced a smile to her face. “Hey, Zack.”

She paused for a second. “I’m sorry, I’m a little late for that date, huh?” she continued. “I’m sorry to let you down. Even if things wouldn’t have worked out between us… you were the first person I met who… um… took an interest in me. It was a bit of a surprise.”

Her lip trembled. “I know there was nothing I could have done, but… I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you. To save you.” She let out a chuckle that was closer to a sob. “I’m sure you would’ve had something to say about _that_. Something about who should be doing the saving, or something like that.” She reconsidered. “Or maybe not. You didn’t seem like the kind of person who’d care who did the saving, as long as it got done. There’s always room for more heroes.”

Heroes. Were those the kind of people Aqua liked? The kind who stood up and did the right thing just because it was the right thing?

…Well. Who wouldn’t like someone like that?

If it was possible to distill attraction to something that simple. Something told Vanitas it couldn’t be as simple as that. Kairi was somehow attracted to both Sora _and_ Riku, and the two couldn’t be more different. Just because Vanitas wasn’t like this Zack guy didn’t mean…

That was down to Aqua, though. Nothing he could do about that.

Although…

Xehanort was dead.

What was keeping him here?

As much as he hated to admit it… he cared about the others he lived with. And he knew they cared about him.

But.

Was that enough?

Did he deserve to–

Vanitas’s train of thought was interrupted by a soft sob from Aqua that pulled him back to the present. She took a half-step backwards. “Goodbye… Zack,” she whispered, her eyes closed, squeezed shut to prevent her tears.

“Aqua…” Vanitas said, softly.

She turned to him, trying to smile. She was clearly struggling with it. “What’s up, Van?” she said, with a forced cheeriness that was horribly faked and strained.

Slowly, Vanitas raised his arms and stretched them out to Aqua. “Come here,” he said, face reddening a bit.

Aqua’s eyes widened. “Are… you sure?”

“I wouldn’t offer,” Vanitas said, “if I wasn’t sure.” His lip twisted. “You… look like you need it.”

Slowly, as if the moment would shatter should she move too fast, Aqua stepped towards him, and leaned into the hug. He wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned down slightly to rest her face on his shoulder.

There was a moment of silence, then with a gasping, strained breath, Aqua started sobbing. Instinctively, Vanitas tightened his arms around her, and her grip tightened in kind. He could feel a wet spot forming on his shoulder, but he didn’t care. Aqua needed him right now.

As Aqua cried herself out on his shoulder, and Vanitas held her tightly, he was certain of two things.

First, even under the horrible circumstances, there was something exhilaratingly _right_ about having Aqua in his arms.

Second, there was no way he could ever risk hurting her this much.

No matter how he felt about her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it wouldn't be Kingdom Hearts without a bonus boss fight, now would it?  
> Last week, I pointed out a continuity error so minor it was entirely ignorable, unless you're me. This week, however... the error was a lot more blatant. Back in Chiaroscuro, I stated that "Sora had killed Sephiroth during the events of KH2". This is because that's how I _thought_ that scene played out, having not actually seen it more than once, and not during my own playthrough.  
> I assume most, if not all of you are aware that this is not the case.  
> But, like with Naminé and her Keyblade, like with Xigbar's true identity, I realized I was writing a canon divergent AU. So what's one more thing to diverge from?  
> Of course, in my mind, this meant I had to explain why it was different.  
> And here we are.  
> The Sephiroth v Sora/Cloud/Tifa fight was originally going to be its own fic (Title: Those Chosen By The Darkness), but then I realized that without putting it in here, this chapter had no meat; it was just Aqua finding out that Zack was dead, then going to pay her last respects. Would've been real short. Doing the prequel story here meant I had much more meat for the sandwich. And somehow, I don't think any of you are going to complain about a longer chapter than usual. :P  
> Sharp eyes might be able to notice that Sephiroth's attack pattern here is _literally_ his attack cycle as Safer Sephiroth. This made writing one last _goddamn_ fight scene so soon after finishing the NortFight bearable. The sword he's using is from his Safer Sephiroth skin in Dissidia NT. In FF7, Safer Sephy fights barehanded, but they couldn't change the model _that far_ so they just gave him a fuckoff huge and ornate sword instead.  
> This chapter, like most of the times I show Radiant Garden, is also involved in setup for the next big story arc. You might have been reading the description of the thing Sephiroth is addressing as "Mother" and thinking to yourself, "Hey, that doesn't sound like Jenova." That's because it's not Jenova. But, have I ever described anything or anyone like that before...?  
> "Cloud is/was a Nobody" is my way of explaining why he was so Advent Children-y in KH1 and 2. And over time, as he's spent time with people who love him, he's grown a new heart. "Sephiroth is Cloud's Heartless" is my way of explaining KH Sephy's obsession with Cloud, which he didn't really have in FF7 (Cloud was just... a well-placed meat puppet to him.)  
> You might notice a difference between Aerith before the flashback and Aerith after the flashback. The difference is FF7R came out while I was in the middle of writing the fight. I love me some Remake Aerith (with a dash of Machinabridged Aerith for flavour). She was a treat to write. It was also a good thing that Remake came out when it did, because I needed to write from Tifa's perspective for this. I was originally going to have it be from Sora's, but... that makes no sense if Tifa's the one telling the story. (Am I mad they changed "Dolphin Blow" to "Dolphin Flurry"? A little. For the lost innuendo). This is also why I stopped playing FFX to blaze through FF7R.  
> Speaking of! As of about an hour ago, I (finally) finished FFX-2! It was a good game! I probably will do a new game+ when I put the Gullwings on the centre stage! (Which, don't hold your breath, that'll be during the "Luxu is the Big Bad" arc, and I have _no idea_ how long it will be before I can even finish _planning_ it, let alone write it. But it will happen!) I got 94% completion; and while I appreciated the return of the job system and the fact that _grinding is actually trackable_ , the fact that you have to bend over backwards to do _everything_ to get the best ending really sucks (I looked it up on youtube, don't worry). Also, I like my "optional side activities" to be... you know... _OPTIONAL_. ...I still kind of liked it more than FFX, though. If I had to pick one or the other. Next up would be FFXII, because fuck MMOs, but instead I think I'd like to take a break from Final Fantasy for a while, play some other JRPGs. So I'm going to be miring myself in Dragon Quest VII, at least until I get distracted by another shiny game.  
> I feel like I'm forgetting something but I've almost hit the character limit anyway. Next week... Vanitas makes a decision.  
> Until then!


	3. The Last Night

Aqua had wanted to be alone immediately upon returning to the Tower, and so it had fallen to Vanitas to explain what had happened to Terra and Ven. News spread quickly in that small a space, and he wound up having to restart the story several times as more and more people filed into the common room.

“Oh no, that’s horrible,” Kairi said, frowning. “All this time, he’s been…”

“I can’t believe it,” Terra murmured. Beside him, Ventus looked just as shocked. Vanitas suddenly remembered that they’d known him, too. “And I can’t imagine how Aqua must be feeling.”

“Yeah. I mean, he was cute, but he didn’t ask either of _us_ out,” Ven agreed. Terra had unconsciously wrapped him in a half-hug.

“Damn,” Roxas said. There was a general murmur of agreement around the room.

“And she didn’t want any of us to talk to her?” Sora asked Vanitas.

Vanitas shook his head. “She just said she wanted to be alone and that she had something to take care of,” he replied. “Fuck if I know what it was.”

“All right,” Lea said. “Well, we’ll give her space for now, and if she’s still down later we can try to intervene.”

“We wouldn’t want to rush her through the grieving process,” Isa pointed out.

“We’ll keep an eye on her,” Terra said. “I don’t think she’ll spiral, but if she does we’ll be there to help her out of it.”

“It’s the least we can do,” Riku agreed.

Naminé was staring at Vanitas. “Van…” she said, slowly. “Is there something else? You look like something’s wrong.”

To the surprise of everyone in the room, Vanitas flinched. “…kind of,” he muttered.

“What’s wrong?” Xion asked.

Vanitas took a deep breath. “…me.”

“Huh?” Sora asked. “Van, whatever the issue is, I doubt it’s something wrong with you.”

Vanitas glanced at Terra and Ven, then screwed his eyes shut. He pressed his palms against his face, and took a deep breath. This Band-Aid had to come off quickly. “I think I have a crush on Aqua,” he said, hurriedly, as if the words would burn his mouth if he held them in for too long.

There was silence. And then –

“No shit,” said Roxas.

“And in other news, water is wet,” Riku added.

“This is… news to you?” Isa asked.

“Did you not know?” Xion added.

“Wait, was that not clear?” Terra asked. “I thought that was something we all knew but didn’t talk about, like Aqua’s ice cream habit, or Riku not being able to tell Ven and Roxas apart, or Kairi being bisexual.”

“Wait, like me being what?” Kairi asked.

Vanitas stared at them. “Are you fucking shitting me?” He turned to Ven and Terra. “You two have no issues with this?”

Terra and Ven looked at one another and shrugged. “Hey, as her brothers we just want Aqua to be happy,” Terra said.

“And honestly, Vanitas? We’re both certain you wouldn’t hurt her,” Ven said. “You’re not the person you used to be. And we want you to be happy, too.”

“’Course, that depends on how Aqua sees you,” Terra pointed out.

“Don’t I know it,” Vanitas muttered. “I’m still not sure how we wound up as friends. I don’t want to risk that by…” He fidgeted in his chair. “I don’t want to fuck things up between us.”

“You’re not going to mess up,” Sora said, confidently.

“Oh, trust me, I have a good track record of fuck-ups,” Vanitas deadpanned. He sighed. “It’s a moot point. She’s not in a place where I can say anything without feeling like a huge creep.”

“Glad you recognized that on your own,” Roxas said, smirking. “If you ever want to talk about that sort of thing, you do have a few successful examples.”

Vanitas shook his head. “I’ll be fine.” He let Roxas pat his shoulder anyway.

Xion cleared her throat. “Okay. I think Vanitas might need some time to himself, too,” she said, standing up. “But, when you feel up to it, I want to hear more about this Cerberus,” she added.

Vanitas stood. “I feel up to it now, if you’re free. I think I need some…” When had this become normalcy?

The majority of the group filed out of the room, save for Sora, Riku, and Kairi. Kairi had been silent since Vanitas’s revelation, and she grabbed her boyfriends’ hands as they tried to get up.

Sora waited until everyone else had left the room to ask, “Kairi? What’s up?”

She turned her head towards him, but seemed to be looking through him at something in the distance. “Sora… Riku… do… do I…?” She paused, turning to look through Riku. “I… do I…? I… like girls.”

Slowly, Riku nodded, trying not to smirk. “Yes, Kairi, yes you do.”

“We’ve… kind of been aware of that since we were little kids,” Sora said.

“I… didn’t know,” Kairi said. Her tone was the vocal equivalent of someone stumbling through a dark hallway.

“Sometimes it’s hard to notice things from the inside,” Riku said.

“Why didn’t you… tell me?” Kairi asked.

Sora shrugged. “Naminé tried to, remember? Riku and I decided that if you didn’t see it yourself, we weren’t going to try to convince you otherwise. It wasn’t really our business.”

Kairi’s lip trembled. “So you two aren’t… you’re not mad at me?”

“Mad at you?” Riku repeated, surprised. “Why would we be mad at you?” Sora, on Kairi’s other side, looked just as confused.

“Cause I…” Kairi broke off, pinching her lips together.

“Kairi,” Sora said. “Does Riku finding girls attractive means he likes me less?”

“No,” Kairi said.

“Does Sora finding everyone attractive mean he likes _me_ less?” Riku asked.

“No,” Kairi said.

“So, why would you finding girls attractive mean you like us less?” Sora asked, smiling gently.

Kairi sniffed, and held out her arms. Sora and Riku squished her into the middle of a hug.

“Okay?” Riku asked, also smiling.

“Okay,” Kairi said.

They could feel her relaxing between them. Eventually, Kairi said, “Thank you.”

“Anytime, Kairi!” Sora said.

“We love you,” Riku added.

“I love you, too,” Kairi replied. She smiled. “Well… I guess if nothing else, I finally understand why I think boobs are so awesome.”

Vanitas paced around his room. It was night; the end of the same day he and Aqua had returned to the Tower. Aqua still hadn’t come out of her room.

He was worried about her, of course, but he was also worried about himself.

How could he face her? How could he look at her, knowing now what he knew about himself?

How could he be her friend when every cell of his body screamed that that wasn’t enough?

How could he dare to be around her when he couldn’t trust his own motives weren’t trying to force something on her she probably didn’t want?

His friends – and, dammit, that word came without any hesitation, he really did think of all those people as his _friends_ – were only encouraging. Somehow that made it worse. As if he was expected to act. As if he couldn’t just quietly murder the feelings in the dark of night, leave them to die and go on like nothing had changed. No, his feelings were _known_ ; had been known longer than he’d imagined, far sooner than he’d known about them himself. He could do nothing, and they would respect that – but knowing the support was there, ready and waiting if he _did_ decide to act, made him feel like it would be in bad faith _not_ to act. _Not_ to try. Better to have loved and lost, the saying said. Better to try and fail than not try.

The memory of Aqua sobbing into his shoulder flashed through his head, and he shook himself. _No_. He would not through his own actions put Aqua in a situation where she could be hurt that badly if things went wrong. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust himself. Rather, he simply knew that not every possibility could be accounted and planned for.

Their friendship was so new, so small, so slight. He had no desire to strain it by reaching for more than was being offered. He had no desire to expose it to forces it might not be able to weather.

Even if his relationship with Aqua was only that of friends, it was a bond too precious to him to risk breaking.

He reached the far end of the room again and turned back once more.

This wasn’t the only issue plaguing him. He had agreed to work with the others in order to kill Xehanort. Well, now Xehanort was dead. Vanitas wasn’t so cynical that he couldn’t recognize how much he’d changed, especially after being directly confronted by a living representation of the person he used to be, but he couldn’t escape the reality of why he’d been here.

The others had fought to save the worlds. The others had fought to defend people. The others had fought like heroes.

Vanitas had fought for revenge and murder. Though he had gained so much, at the heart of things, that had been his motivation. He had, over time, come to treasure at least the people he was around, if not the wider worlds, but that was the issue.

The others could be heroes. They had the motivation, the drive, the will.

Vanitas was no hero.

Vanitas had never sought to be one.

Vanitas hadn’t _needed_ to be one to fight Xehanort.

But what was next for the Keybearers? Fighting not Xehanort, but any threat of Darkness encroaching where it didn’t belong? Promoting harmony and balance among the worlds as best they could? Helping rebuild Radiant Garden, perhaps, or helping the Destiny Islands adjust to the larger world they’d taken their first steps into? Being heroes to whoever needed one?

Fighting, that he could do.

He wasn’t sure about all the rest.

And as such…

Did he really have a place here?

He looked down at his hand, and clenched it into a fist, until it shook.

He thought of friendship.

He thought of hope.

He thought of knowing he was doing his best to help where he could.

…He thought of the damage he could do if he failed.

With tears in his eyes, he came to one, final conclusion.

“…I have to leave.”

The Tower was quiet at night. This seemed to be one of those rare occasions where both Riku and Terra were managing to sleep through the whole night, so he didn’t meet anyone on his way to the Tower’s entrance.

It was for the best. He’d left a note in his room explaining his reasoning. Hopefully, they would understand, and wouldn’t hate him for his decision.

He made it five steps out the front door.

“And just _where_ do you think _you’re_ going?”

Vanitas stopped. Smirking, he turned, and said, “You know, I’m getting the weirdest sense of déjà vu.”

There, in the doorway, stood Aqua. Her eyes were red and puffy, but she seemed calmer now. She matched his smirk, and chuckled, stepping out of the doorway and towards Vanitas, stopping when they were less than a foot away from one another. “I don’t suppose you’ll stay if I punch you in the face again?” she asked, the teasing tone hiding a note of worry.

Vanitas’s smile faded. “I’m sorry, Aqua. Not this time.”

A gust of wind blew across the Tower’s grounds. “Why?” Aqua asked.

Vanitas sighed. “Because I…” He trailed off. “Aqua, I stayed to help because I wanted Xehanort dead. Before you start,” he added quickly upon seeing her open her mouth, “no, of course I have reasons to stay aside from that. You assholes are my friends.”

“Then why are you leaving?” Aqua asked.

_Because I don’t know how to deal with my feelings for you, and I don’t want to do or say something stupid and hurt you._ “Because I don’t know if I can… be the ‘good guy’. Be the kind of person that you all are.” He shook his head. “What’s next for you all, after Xehanort? Protecting the balance and those in need, right? I don’t know… that I can be that person.”

“It’s not something that’s inherent,” Aqua said. “It’s not who you are that matters, it’s what you _do_. Van, you _are_ capable of that.”

Vanitas smiled, grimly. “I know you believe that, Aqua. And I think everyone else does, too.”

“They do,” Aqua said, nodding.

“Thing is, though…” Vanitas said. “ _I_ don’t. I feel like I need to prove it to myself. That I’m not just going to default back to… well.”

“You’re _not_ ,” Aqua insisted.

Vanitas shrugged, his arms raised. “I don’t know that for sure.”

“I do.”

He chuckled at that. “I’m glad you think so. But I need to _know_.”

Aqua sighed. “How long do you think you’ll be gone?”

He’d been afraid she’d ask that. “I… don’t know,” he admitted. “As long as I need to.” He felt his heart rip in two with the way her face fell.

“And… after that?” she asked. “When you do come back… will you come live with Terra, Ven, and me in the Land of Departure?”

“You’d want me there?” he asked, reflexively. “Oh… right.”

She smiled. “Still new to ‘friends’, huh?”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m sure I’ll get used to it eventually.”

Aqua shifted on her feet. “You didn’t give me an answer, you know.”

Vanitas blinked. “Oh. Right. Yes. If you three will have me… then yes, I would like that. At least for as long as I can put up with Ventus.”

Aqua smirked. “I guess I couldn’t ask for more.”

He wished she would.

Aqua suddenly jerked, like she’d remembered something. “Wait!” she said. “If… if I run and get something, you’re not going to leave on me, right?”

He knew he really should.

He also knew he never would.

“Of course I won’t,” he promised. Aqua beamed, and rushed back into the Tower.

She returned a few minutes later. “This is for you,” she said, catching her breath. “I started making it a while ago – it should have taken me longer, but after today I needed something to do with my hands, and I wound up finishing it. Just in time, huh?”

Vanitas stared at the item she was proffering him. A small star made of red stained glass.

At the very centre hung his Unversed’s emblem.

“This is… for me?” he breathed.

Aqua nodded. “It doesn’t quite match mine, Terra’s, and Ven’s, but you don’t really have any reason to have the Land of Departure emblem, and I figured you wouldn’t mind having something that’s ultimately yours and yours alone, right?”

Vanitas stared at the red Wayfinder in his hand. “Yeah,” he said, touched. “Aqua, this is… wow. Thank you.” It didn’t feel like enough to express how he was feeling.

Aqua leaned in next to him to look at it, and all of a sudden half of his body was on fire from the proximity. “They say that Wayfinders are supposed to bring luck to travellers. It represents the bonds between our hearts. A reminder that we’re never really alone. An unbreakable connection.”

“It’s perfect,” Vanitas murmured.

He felt Aqua’s eyes on him, and looked up. She was very close, and he prayed his face wasn’t reddening.

“Please,” she murmured. “Come back to me.”

“I promise,” he whispered.

Aqua closed her eyes, nodded, and stepped back. Vanitas closed his fist around the Wayfinder and stepped towards the trolley station. “Aqua… thank you, for everything,” he said.

Aqua nodded. “Take care of yourself.”

“You, too.” There was a word that was very conspicuously hanging in the air, that neither of them wanted to say. The trolley doors slid open. Vanitas stepped through, and they slid shut behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Aqua’s mouth move again, but he couldn’t hear her.

As the doors slid shut and the trolley started to move, Aqua waved. Vanitas waved back. He could see her, still standing at the station, until the track turned a corner and the Tower’s grounds faded from sight.

It was only then that he let the tears fall. He rubbed his thumb across the surface of the Wayfinder. “I’m sorry, Aqua,” he whispered. “I love you.” The words seemed to echo in the enclosed space.

Vanitas sighed, then straightened. He had told Aqua the truth, for the most part; he’d just left part of the reason out. And it was time to get started.

Vanitas tapped the back of his glove, summoning his armour. With a flourish, he snapped his fingers, opening a Dark Corridor – to where, he had no idea.

The destination wasn’t as important as the journey was going to be.

Vanitas took a deep breath, and stepped forwards.

Onto whatever came next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Vanitas will return.**
> 
> Hello, everyone, sorry this is late, my house has not had electricity for the past four days. We literally just got it back an hour ago, so here we are.  
> In contrast with the other chapters, I really don't have all that much to say here. Kairi's revelation about her sexuality has been planned to be revealed this way (Terra just stating it as part of a list of things he thought everyone knew but had an unspoken agreement not to talk about) since Land of Oblivion.  
> The concept of Vanitas being given a red Wayfinder is ubiquitous enough that I'm not sure who to credit for the original idea, but the specific design I described was based on [this](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/amyhayanora/185291066139) art by [amyhayanora](https://www.instagram.com/amyhayanora/). I'm sure you can't guess why.  
> I think that's all there is to it. My apologies for the late upload, not that I could've done anything to prevent it. :P  
> In two weeks (on Friday, to stick to the schedule), we'll say one last goodbye to Castle Oblivion. Until then!
> 
> **Three fics remain.**


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